The Hunt
by troublewolf
Summary: John Hart had done it this time! Jack gets a visit from someone John has wronged from the stars.


THE HUNT

Author's notes: This is set after KKBB and Fragments but before Children of the Earth. I wrote this after review these shows and was so mad at Hart. But I don't get mad, I get even…or write about it.

The team, or the three left, wandered around the hub for days seemingly at a loss. They were lost. None had really experienced a agents death, well, except for Susie's, but for some reason that was different. The two who had been killed died trying to save Cardiff. Perhaps a death that had meaning. Anyway, Jack seemed to suffer the most. Gwen thought it was because he was the leader and blamed himself, no matter what she told him. Most nights, unless they were out chasing aliens, he was no where to be found. She had looked and saw him one time atop a building but when she had gotten there, he was gone. Nor would he talk to anyone, not even Ianto. That relationship had stalled for the moment. He would heal in his own time, it appeared.

Contrarily to whatever Gwen thought, Jack wasn't healing. One hundred and fifty years of living also meant that long of deaths. Tosh and Owen was just the kicker. Jack felt the life go out of him. He walked the city at nights, ending up on top of the high structures, gazing out at what had cost him the most. He played with tracking down the Doctor again, either here or on high, but he knew his welcome wasn't assured. The TimeLord couldn't seem to be around him, physically. He was a fixed point in time and that made a man who controlled time ill. Well, Jack had other choices.

Cardiff's night sky was full of stars, most he could name Jack thought as he stood there, attired in his WWII clothes, long RAF coat flapping in the strong wind. It was early morning, not far off daylight when he was aware of energy building behind him. Quickly he checked the wrist strap on his left arm, a remint from his Time Agent days. Rift action. Slowly he drew his gun and waited.

The light was golden and full of sparkles. A tall figure stepped through. To Jack's surprise it was a woman.

As she became whole, her light colored eyes widen a bit in surprise to him. "You're called Captain Jack now, I hear. Good name. Where's John Hart?"

Shocked a bot to hear the name, Jack asked back. "Who the hell are you?"

"Hel, as a matter of fact. I come from your neck of the woods, Jack. I want John, don't hide him, it won't be pretty."

Jack could see no weapons, but you could never be sure. "What's he done now?"

"Beside put a primitive world at danger? Be responsible for two of your friends' deaths? Isn't that enough?" she demanded.

"Gray did that." It hurt Jack to speak his name.

The woman closed her eyes a second, as if it hurt her too. "Your brother has absolved of his involvement. He was, to put it mildly, crazy. John lit the fuse, did he tell you that? Thought not. Well, I won't go away, Jack. John will pay for his crimes here and in space."

"What did he do?'

"Killed a whole ship. For a stone that didn't exist. My adoptive family was on there."

"So you are out for blood."

"Blood is the least of it. Let's go visit Torchwood."

"No. My team has suffered enough."

"I don't want your team, but something left there by John. So either you take me there or I do start on your team. Remember, I am sanctioned." She told him in a hard voice.

"You're a bounty hunter?"

"Just a hunter. I used to hunt the Korlacks, remember those? I've killed them barehanded before. Humans would prove a easy kill."

Jack gave a sigh. He had no choice but take her there. Well, at least this time of day (?) Gwen wouldn't be there yet and Ianto either, he hoped.

"Follow me." Jack led her down to the street and walked toward the hub. "Bet you haven't done this in a while."

"You forget where the Korlacks live, Jack. I'm in well better shape than you ever were." She replied.

"Oh, what do I call you?" he asked over his shoulder as they got to the pomade.

"I told you, Hel. It's an old Earth name." She said it as if it were a clue to her true identity but she nothing more.

"Okay, Hel. The hub lays underneath that sculpture."

"I know where it is, Jack. Quit stalling."

Heaving a big sigh, he led her to a certain stone in front of the large tower. "Stand here."

"Oh, the tourist way? Okay, but I will tell you I know where two more entries are. Just so you know what I know."

Jack kept the surprise off his face as he triggered the stone and it began to lower.

The hub was quiet, no Tosh, Gwen or Owen. But a rather busy looking Ianto was in and the smell of coffee filled the place.

"We're in time for coffee. Want one?" Jack offered as a shocked Ianto looked on. The stone had reached the bottom and Hel stepped off, not doing as most visitors to the place did, look around. But felt that she had the place down pat in seconds. Not even when something large circled over head.

"I could do with one. Blacks fine."

She waited until Jack introduced her to Ianto and gained a cup of coffee before speaking again.

She sipped the coffee and said. "Your recon doesn't work on me, Jack. Nice try. You and your eye candy get in your office and stay there. I will be swift." She shoved the empty mug at a surprised Ianto and waited till they went into Jacks office and shut the door herself. Jack looked through the glass as she moved bout the hub, one hand held out, almost as f reading the place. A shocked and worried Ianto demanded answers and Jack did his best to explain. Except he really knew nothing.

After about ten minutes, the woman came back and opened the door. "Thanks for not fighting me, Jack. I know you can't be killed but I do also know you can hurt. I hope John isn't too fond a memory for you."

"What did he leave behind?" Jack had to ask.

"No harm telling you. He left this." She held up a piece of paper. "His travel plans." She shoved it into a pocket and turned to leave. There was noise of the others entering when she said.

"I can see myself out, Jack." She then touched her collar bone as if toggling something. Rift energy abruptly surrounded her. Through the gold lights she gave Jack a rather sad look and said, "Jack, I may not be a big brother, but there are big sisters, you know. Live a good life." Then she stepped through the rift, disappearing.

Gwen rushed in, gun drawn, eyes wild. Demanding, "What's happening, Jack!"

"We had a visitor." Ianto told her.

"Jack?"

"Her name was Hel. She is after John." Jack turned and went back to his office. Gwen swung around to Ianto and grabbed his arm. "You're telling me just what went on, you!"

"yr oedd yn o'fflamau hen? What hyn am john?" Gwen spoke in Welsh to make her point clearer.

Ianto answered her back, "Yes, it was about John. He's apparently pissed off the wrong person in space."

"Well, I hope she catches him!"

Jack in his office was thinking the same thing, if he had done what Hel had said. He didn't doubt it. Look what he had done to Jack's crew over a diamond. Money always had driven John, even over friendship or love. Jack still remembered that fall and the crash that broke his back, Tosh and Owen dying. He had little love left, not after two thousand years underground and a hundred and seven frozen. He forgive a lot in his life, but not forget. Never forget. He wished he could.

Out in space, on a little mining town that had more bars than houses, John Hart smiled into his drink. Damn, he was clever! Absently he patted the pocket the blue stone from Arbunath sat. Worth many credits, it was all his now. Suddenly he was bumped from behind, almost spilling his drink.

"Hey, watch it!" He snarled, but then a voice turned him cold.

"No, you better watch it, John." He knew that voice, but she should be dead!

As one hand slowly inched toward his gun, he felt an iron hand encircle it. "Don't think so, murderer. But I will give you a chance. Met me outside. Don't come, your death will come out of the blue, much like that stone in your pocket." The pressure vanished and when he whirled to see who it was, there was no one near him. Feeling sick, he finished his drink, straightened his uniform coat and strode outside. No one ever accused him of cowardice.

But the area around the bar was empty. The sky was full of stars and in the distance a ship was rising. John peered around but saw nothing. So he called out, "I'm here!"

"So you are. Any good with that sword of yours?" the woman asked.

"Competent. " John retorted bravely.

The woman smiled a bit nastily. "Do you know what I'm good at?"

"Kissing? Walking a dog? Flying a ship?"

"Killing Korlacks. Ready to dance?" she asked, but still her hands were empty and John felt brave. But not foolish. Korlacks were never hunted by woman so if she could make truth on her boast, she was deadly. But, hey, he had killed deadly before. So he drew his blade, an old Earth Katana. Moving forward, he swung at her. And missed.

Hel felt the passage of the blade and immediately knew his skill level. Fair. So with a mere thought, she brought into exsistance her blades. From each hand a long, narrow metallic blade grew.

John saw this and felt his heart sink. Biomecenoid. She must have had it done after the accident. That was how he remembered it, an accident that had claimed a ship had been on. Apparently she remembered differently.

Her blades did not miss. But as John parried her blows, he thought she was just playing with him and finally gasped this out.

"Oh, John. I don't play. I don't even murder, unlike you. I am sanctioned by the council. You've made too many enemies. " Her blade cut deep into his thigh and then she danced away. "You should have never went back to Earth. That was the cap on your evil, John. From so many directions, you violated the laws. My family's death was the singing of your end." Again her blades connected and John felt his body begin to grow cold. He started falling, the ground hitting him hard in the face. Suddenly she was above him, one hand drawn back. "Oh, Jack say, Hi!" Then his world dissolved into blackness.

Hell withdrew her blades from her hands and kicked a head away. Her recorder had already sent the image to the council, this meat in front of her was of no longer any interest. Hel touched her collar bone and alerted her ship to warm up. She was done. Now maybe she could sleep.


End file.
